Adobe Consulting Services (ACS), a provider of human resources software application systems, prides itself on the variety of benefits it offers to its employees. In addition to health care, pension and vacation benefits, it also offers an attractive family benefits package, including flexible hours, child and senior care assistance, counseling services, adoption assistance, and extended paternity leave. Unfortunately, in recent months, the company's progressive life and work policy has seen negative reactions from several employees, as the following case illustrates. In March 2011, Teresa Wheatly was hired by Adobe as a software account manager. With excellent administrative and technical skills, plus four years of experience in Adaptable Software, Adobe's main competitor, Teresa became a valuable addition to the company's marketing team. As a single mother of two boys in elementary school, Teresa received permission to take Fridays off. She was also allowed to leave early or arrive late to meet the demands of her children. Teresa is one of 11 software account managers at Adobe. The problems for Adobe, and in particular Janis Blancero, Marketing Director, began in the fall of 2011. On September 15, Dorothy McShee requested a four-day workweek, for which she was willing to grant a 20% reduction. of his salary under the argument of "personal reasons" (which he refused to discuss). When Dorothy requested the reduction of working hours, she added sarcastically: "I hope you don't have to have children to have this time off." On October 3, Juan Batista, a world-class marathon runner, requested a flexible working hour arrangement in order to accommodate his morning and afternoon training schedule. Juan was registered to run in the London, England marathon in May 2013. Just prior to Juan's request, Susan Woolf applied for, and obtained, an extended maternity leave that would begin after the birth of her first child in December. As if these unexpected requests weren't enough, Blancero heard comments from senior account managers about how some employees seemed to receive “special privileges” while they worked long hours after hours, which were often necessary to fulfill requests. of customers. Janis has good reason to believe that there is hidden discontent with the company's flexible hours work schedule. Currently Adobe does not have a formal policy of flexible programs. In addition, due to the growth of the company's business, combined with the increasing workload of software account managers and the constant demands for services from some clients, Blancero has become convinced that he cannot give all the free time that requested by your employees. 1. a. Should Adobe have a policy to grant flexible work hours? Explain your answer. b. If your answer was affirmative, what could this policy contain? c. If you were Janis Blancero, how would you solve this dilemma? Explain your answer